Moral and Ethical Dilemmas One of the most difficult tests I face in my life are moral and ethical dilemmas. They can be harrowing, soul-searching experiences that test my character and cause me to "put my money where my mouth is." I am sometimes quick to see ethical flaws in others, but slow to see them in myself. Other times I see my mistakes clearly and wonder why I don't measure up. I believe that one purpose of this life is to learn to act for ourselves. Learn to see a situation correctly and act righteously. In this article I want to discuss many of the thoughts I've had recently about establishing a model for making ethical decisions throughout my life. I will present many of the traps I have fallen into or observed in others. Every day I am faced with decisions of right and wrong, most of which are addressed easily and correctly. Sometimes, however, you have to make decisions that are neither easy nor clear. They require reflection and often prayer. I like to draw on past experience to make comparisons that help us better understand new problems. Many times, however, past experiences cannot be linked to present problems and can confuse and obscure possibilities. Even the opinions or actions of friends facing similar dilemmas may not be helpful. We often feel pressured by Piers saying "it's no big deal" or "you'll understand later". It is important to understand why a particular action or resolution is right or wrong. If I can't or don't, it's hard to feel like I've been honest with myself. This for me can be a good measure of ethical behavior, my conscience. The ideal way to deal with difficult questions is to have a foolproof formula. Find the steps that will always lead to correct decisions. Unfortunately I don't have such a formula yet and I often learn through hard experience what is right and what is wrong. Let me start by saying that I firmly believe that the formula exists and is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The only way to live a perfectly ethical and moral life is to be like Him. There is no other way. The whole world will experiment and try all other forms of self-indulgence and soul-searching and will not take a step forward until they begin with His gospel. I once heard that "he who takes one end of a stick also takes the other end." No matter how much you try or want happiness... middle of paper... voluntary and submissive. I could compare it to temple attendance or missionary service. We could serve only by commandment and reap all the blessings and rewards, or we could look beyond and see the work of saving souls. We could see the absolute necessity of our service and lay down our lives for it. I believe with this type of true motivation we will be able to more easily distinguish right from wrong. We will not seek to satisfy our own needs or desires, but will see the needs of others alongside our own. We could see more clearly the importance of ethical and moral behavior. Whether or not anyone is watching is irrelevant and plays no role in our decisions. I admit that this will not make the decision-making process any easier; on the contrary. Decisions will no longer be made based on popularity or profit, but based on what is right and good. Unfortunately I will still have to learn from experience when the answers are not clear, so sometimes I will get burned. But in the learning process, I can rest assured that I am truly doing my best and always improving. By perfecting this formula I will find myself better able to solve difficult dilemmas and feel good about them.